Monday, December 08, 2008

Munster slipped to their first defeat in Europe since lifting the Heineken Cup but a bonus point in Clermont-Auvergne kept their qualification hopes alive.

Brock James scored all of Clermont's points, including six penalties and a second-half try, to keep his team in the tournament with a repeat of last season's victory over the European champions.

But Ronan O'Gara's 73rd-minute penalty ensured Munster left France with a potentially crucial losing bonus point that keeps them in touch with leaders Sale Sharks with two of their next three pool games at home.

Marcus Horan got the visitors off to a nice lead in the 25th minute with a well taken try after O’Gara and James had traded two penalties each early on.

James kept Clermont in the game though with some pinpoint kicking after Munster gave away a series of penalties.

The home side stepped up a gear and it was James himself who beat two tackles to score a crucial try.

A moment of ill-discipline handed Munster the chance at a bonus point, as Pierre Mignoni conceded a penalty, which was followed by them being marched back another 10 years after comments made by the players.

O’Gara obliged, and the match finished 25-19 to the home side.

These highlights include not only the tries, but a few big hits too. Enjoy.

52 Comments:

Domingo is a beast, a really good mobility prop, and very good in the scrum too, he made another big han off in the match et lot's of big charge, but the hand off on O'callhagan and the charge on Howlett was hard ! I hope, he must be selected, on the next france squad for 6 nations at 25 years old he is very good.

Great match, Clermont was in a good day and the players were, individually speaking, almost at their best. Munster played well but wasted some of their opportunities.Clermont deserved to win, they were better, on that game.

the commentators are for clermont because they're french of course. They want a french team to win the heineken cup they're not only for clermont but for toulouse and paris(though it's hard) castres and montauban

i gota point out the obvious by saying leinster wud have finished them off...really they need 2 improve their backline down in bogland..and some1 tell paul o connel he's in dire need of a trip 2 the grafton barber...shockin barnet

"man munster should ave won . They created soooo many tries but failed to finish them of and howletts try was a try. They would have won if they didnt recieve 18 points!!! in penalties ."

Despite their great start Munster didn't exist during the second half of the game... About the penalties, I would add that this game showed that they would never have won the H cup last year with a clear ref.

Good game, always nice to see Munster lose. Stade Francais and Harlequins game was great too.

No mention of the IRB player of the year on rugbydump? Williams has had a great season and scored stunning tries at all levels, a shame that England doesn't have someone similar. Last player we had like that was Billy Whizz.

To Leinsterlion ye couldn't even finish off a weakened castres side off at home and now you're claiming ye would have finished off Clermont in France . as for munster's backline needing to improve it didn't seem to need much imoproving when Munster hockeyed ye at the RDS 18-0 with 13 of the eighteen points coming from our backline which apparently needs improving.Overall though it was dissapointing we didn't push on from the first half but our penalty count is something we can't let happen again as at Heinken Cup level teams punish you just like Clermont showed. however if you said to any munster fan that they would come home from france with a losing bonus point they would have been relatively happy as it means that their qualification for the knockout phase is in their own hands

Zzzzzzzzzz! Sick of hearing comments like that. Fine you don't like Munster, but leaving a comment like that is just pathetic.

It was a great game. A real game of two halves. Munster dominated the first half and should have been out of sight. Then Clermont turned up for the second half and Brock James and Rougerie gave a rugby masterclass along with their beast of a front row combination.

They won the game tactically, kicking "Garryowens" (or up and unders) at practically every ruck, then storming up with Rougerie, Floch and Malzieu, and hammering the munster boys causing a turnover. Ref wasn't great, but im biased.Hate the way the breakdown is refereed with the ELV's. The team bringing the ball into contact is penilised 90% more then the defending team. Its practically rugby league now, because there is a turnover almost every 5 phases.

Jacobo stupid old shit rageuse of my Irish nuts! I'll lick you rollers and because you will understand your pain when France will put the pine to your old team Ireland! your mother dry gravel ducon, Clermont won its vicoire and will buy eyeglasses for "the test" of Howlett! Toulouse also would win the final and montauban the first match if the arbitrators do not suck too pd band of Irish! (a Frenchman who has tired of Irish)

this is his 2º:

Jacobo food buche me with your reum 'big vixen who likes to make his mouth cumshot old chagas! xD